I'm an artist AND a writer. Many of us have had a zillion different kinds of weird, boring, bizarre, dangerous and whacked jobs in our careers just to pay the bills and keep food in front of our kids' mouths (our down their shorts). But it's not just artists, writers, actors and MBA's who have to hack out a living doing ...... whatever.

This topic looked like so much fun and a good start since I am new here and have no mail yet.
My job career started early at age 13(back in the 70's) I started making macram? pot hangers for my Mom's crazy girlfriend.
From there it was youth employment services and I did house cleaning,baby sitting and grocery shopping for the elderly and shut ins.
I worked many fast food jobs.
I worked at a lumber store called National Lumber.
From there:
Fast food again
Telephone cold calling selling pens
Worked for a call center answering phones for Dr's and Celebs
Toy store in Santa Barbara CA
Gas station
Grocery store
Retail clothes store
Retail bed bath store
Job magazine as a sales rep
Live in maid
Secretary and rep for a vitamin company
Bar maid
Gentleman's club dancer
Organic fruit sales at farmers markets(I miss all the people there from Hollywood,CA)
Baker and Chef
Phone customer service rep

I may have forgotten about a job or two but I would go back and do it all over again.
JoJo

ya dumb or someithng move ta louisiana the crazy state and ya can get a free state check social security man oh and i forgot the famous bayou cajun mafia millionaire attorney st martin can get that check for ya and his sheriff my dad

My rule is never take a job which pays less than the last one if possible and learn everything you can about each job where you work cross train whenever possible that way you become invaluable.
And interview for jobs just for the fun of it, it polishes your skills.
And lastly, VOLUNTEER your time contacts are invaluable besides it great for your self esteem.

alexiaa write: May I concragulate you Kattie, for coming up with this subject, it is constructive and takes us trip back to our history and give us oppurtunity to reflect on ourselves. And just want to say thank you for that.

Thanks Alexiaa! It was a fluke actually. I was talking to someone I'd just met when I moved to Toronto in July of last year, and we got to talking about the crazy kinds of jobs we'd done and what we'd like to do if we couldn't do what we're doing now, (maybe that's another good topic)and I got curious about my MM mates!

Anyway, right now I'm living in a nice little bachelor apartment in The Beaches making jewellery from silver and beach glass I've collected from Lake Ontario shores. I have to have surgery on my right foot on the 28th so I'm getting ready to keep my foot elevated and create until I explode! I encourage everyone to find something creative that they love, whether it's jewellery-making, crocheting, painting, writing music, wood-working, crafts, fixing cars, knitting, baking, cooking, film-making, photography, plant-growing, story-telling, game-designing .... ANYTHING creative ... and always have that as your personal form of expression of your unique skill so that you leave something behind when you leave this little blue planet.

It's the secret to happiness ... creating something for the betterment of human kind or the whole planet.

Its nice to see I'm not the only one who had to clean toilets in the past ..lol
Right now I'm a Retail Merchandiser,
jobs in the past , A nanny in Hawaii now that was a fun job, companion for a Lady in her 80's,preschool teacher, cashier, I've given out food samples at Costco,file clerk, front end office clerk, hotel maid, clean houses, home daycare,and rang bells for The Salvation Army (it was for a good clause but standing there in the rain and cold was not fun.)
But my most favorite job has been raising my children.

I've endured years of grueling work myself! Try cleaning toilets at a hotel for 3 years...nothing glamorous about that. Then I gave birth to my wonderful baby girl and decided that she and I deserved better in life. I went to university full time (nursing), and worked part time waitressing. I missed out on much of her life for four years but I've made a better life for us in the process. Sometimes one has to make sacrifices. I've finally found my passion in life...caring for the sick.

Ive been a few things, thank God, positions that have kept my Geminian mind feed with info. A student, sportsman, professional commissioned soldier , inventor, world patent holder, small business man. pioneering engineer. Father, Founder member of the IAT , not telling. lol ,World travelling businessman. Patriot. Lover, and member of MM

This happens to be a very sensitive subject for me. During my breif stay on this earth I have persued my occupations while in search of fulfillment. Even though I'm a Gulf War Vet, I like many others had to make choices. Most times even working 2 oor 3 jobs at a time to meet all of my financial obligations. While trying to enjoy quality time with my son and a significant other. The ironic part is that I lost a marrriage in the process and had to endure single parenthood. Some of the jobs that paid the least were the most pleasurable for me. OH, how I long to both enjoy what I do and get paid well at the same time. Well here goes the list, and not in any particulat order.

I've been....
An Errand boy(Neighborhood lawn care, snow removal, car wash and grocery/dry clean errands)
A lot attendent
A fry cook (Popeyes Fried Chicken)
A Kirby Vacuum Salesman
A Home Health Care Supervisor
A Roofer
A Diesel Mechanic(USN)
A Hazmat/Hazwaste Manager(USN)
An Electrician Apprentice
A Forklift Driver
A HVAC/R Tech
A Model
A Airport Shuttle Driver
A Public School Parent Consultant
A State Reading Coordinator
A Dance instructor (Fred Astaire School of Dance)
A Basketball Coach
An Afterschool Program Supervisor
A Customer Service Rep (Insurance)
A VP of a Teachers Placement Service

One things for sure I definitely know what I don't want to be when I grow up.

manartist write: KATIE - love that name - a CLASSIC, and YOU ARE a CLASSIC. Most people do NOT UNDERSTAND US the ARTISTS. A TRUE ARTIST is a SURVIVOR - and- we ARE: SPONTANEOUS, we HAVE TO "Follow" our Instincts, and Whims to be able to create a BETTER World, a RICHER, ENLIGHTENED World for the MASSES, "those people out there in the Dark"(Sunset Blvd). And, so what if one does this and that - this is called LIFE - EXPERIENCING, LEARNING. The "Mass Mind" is a sad fact, and a LAZY fact. Listen Katie - write me - let's compare notes, and forget about some of the comments these Gentlemen have made. And, remember - many of these persons will NEVER be REMEMBERED - but - WE WILL BE, WE the ARTISTS. I send IMMENSE Respect --- Roland ----

Hi Roland,
Sorry I didn't see your post before...
Yes! We ARE survivors. I think we're a most unappreciated group! lol I think it's because the galleries try to make us out to be elitists and therefore, it scares the public away.

How many times have you heard, "I don't know much about art, but I like YOUR work."

What do they need to know? They need to know what means something to them, and through their backgrounds, experiences, subjectivity ... they form an opinion about a piece of artwork. And that's what I paint for. I paint for them; no extensive knowledge of art history and culture is needed.

Marrissa_Rae write: Well I Started off doing simple modeling shoots then I topped it off by being an adult performer for web content and videos etc. I have backed off here recently to see if there is anything out there. I ran into a few things where a was a paid mistress i guess you would say. Thats really good b/c you get to enjoy all the things my girlfriend doesnet provide hehe. Other than that i am taking it easy till i find another friend to be his well paid yet exciting young little mistress. Anyone interested?

Well I pay someone to look after my apartments, I pay someone to clean my home, I pay someone to do my laundry, I pay someone to clean and service my car, I pay someone to clean and service my boat...
Pay for a mistress?... Nah... sometimes its nice not to have to pay for something... you know, for someone to give something unconditionally.

As for jobs, I only worked for two companies... Mercedes Benz (10 years, straight out of school), and my own. Started out as a Trainee Computer Operator and worked my way up to Head of Technical Services. Left Mercedes to start a computer services company with my ex-boss, then after 17 years, we thankfully found someone to buy us out... it got too big to be fun any more!

My next move? I'm going to try and make a little pocket money from photography and maybe get involved a little in the music industry. Or maybe work harder on my golf game... 2 years and I'm eligable for the Seniors :)